Friction-gearing.



G. W. WELLS.

FRICTION 'GEARING. APPLICATION FILED NOV.11.1908.

917,691. Patented-Apr. 6, 1909.

2 SHBETSSHEET 1.

Y WITNESSES I v Z IN%ZOM v I I I /6 I 1 I M I Z I Allorney G. W. WELLS.

FRICTION GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1908.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2,

WITNESSES C? 7 My W {INHED s'rA'rEs Parana orrren GEORGE w. WELLS, orAMEs nY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO'DUDLEY .T.

MARSTON.

FRICTION-GE ARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1-909.

, Application filed November 11, 190;. Serial No. 462,162.

The object of ny invention is the pro vision of a friction gearing,especially adapted for use in propelling vehicles, such as automobiles,and for other purposes, wherein a friction disk and two friction wheels.are employed and motion transmitted without relative excessive grindingor abrading friction and without the use of complicated balance gearing.

" The invention consists in certain novelties of construction andcombinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and'claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an example of the physicalembodiment of the invention and a modification constructed according tothe best modes I have so far dovised for the practical applicationof'the principle.

Figure 1 shows part of an automobile frame and a pair of wheels with thefriction gearing adapted mediately to revolve the same. Fig. 2 is a viewof the gearing as seen when looking in the direction of the ar-- rows online A A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectlon of thefriction wheels, counter shafts, sprocket wheels, and skeletonsupporting frame; the counter shafts also being shown in section. Fig. 4shows a modified construction {if the transmission means,lietween thecounter shafts and wheels.

Referring to the several figures,- the numeral 1 designates thelongitudinal memhers of the frame of the vehicle which may be of anydesired construction; 2, the crosshars rigidly uniting the said members;3, a rotary shaft supported in a bearing 4 secured to the under surfaceof the front (FUSE-i131. said shaft being, in this instance, adapted foroperative connection with a motor of any kind; 5, a friction disk with ahub movable on the shaft; 6, a shifting lever pivoted to a bearing 7 onthe crossbar, one end thereof, 8, engaging a circular and State recessin the hub of the disk and the other end pivoted to a rod 9 adaptedtoconnect with a foot lever suitably located; 10, a skeleton frameconsisting of the tubular end pieces 11 11 movably secured by clips 12,12

of any kind to the under surfaces of the two longitudinal members of theframe, the bearings 13, 13 for the counter shafts located in the extremeouter ends of the tubular portions, the hubs 14, 14 upon the inner endsof the tubular portions, the arms 15 radiating from the said hubs, thebars or rods 16 uniting the ends of the arms, the perforated lugs orbosses 17 located at the meeting points of the arms and bars, andtherods 18 passed through the perforations in the said lugs and secured bythe nuts 19 upon the threaded ends of the rods; 20, the friction wheelsupporting the shiftin cage comprising two hubs 21, arms 22 ra'iati'ngfrom the hubs, bars 23 uniting the ends of the arms, lugs 24: eachhaving two holes,

rods 25 passed through the outer holes and secured by nuts, as shown,and the said cage being movabiy mounted upon the rods 18 of the skeletonframe, the said rods loosely passing through the inner holes of the lugs2i at the ends of the arms which-radiate from the hubs; 26, a shaftadapted to be supported so it can be revolved by a wheel or crank withinthe body of the vehicle; 27, a grooved wheel at the end of the shaft;28,

,a wire cable having. its ends at 29, 29 secured to opposite sides ofthe cage'and the part between the'ends engaging pulleys 30. supported inbearings on the frame, and passed several times around the grooved wheel27, the said cable and shaft constituting means for shifting the cageupon the rods of the skeleton frame; 31,- counter.

shafts, each provided with a groove 32 and supported at 1ts end 1n abearing 13 as shown; 33, sprocket wheels fixed on the shafts; 34-,friction-wheels of any'desired coi'istruction each having an elongatedhub 2-15 provided with alug or spline 36 seated and movable within agroove of a counter shaft; 37, ball bearings between the hubs of thefriction wheels and the hubs of the shifting cage; 38, in this instance,a fixed axle; 39, rods connecting the axle and tubes of the skeletonframe, each provided with aturn-buckle 40: or other adjustable means;41, the traction wheels on the axle; 42,

1 sprocket 'w'heels upon the hubs of the wheels; and t3 sprocket chainsconnecting the sprockets on the traction wheel hubs with the sprocketwheels on the counter shafts.

It .is to be understood that the specific parts and elements shown andmentioned may befchanged in shape and construction, as the illustrationis for showing only one embodiment of the-invention, and in connectionwith a vehicle.

The specific mode of operation is as follows: The shaft 3 and disk 5being rotated, the latter is brought into contact with the two frictionwheels 34, 34 by moving the rod 9 and lever 6, as'is obvious. Eachfriction wheel transmits rotary motion to a counter shaft carrying asprocket wheel,

whicl1"latter transmits motion through a sprocket chain to a tractionwheel.

Inasmuclras thetwo friction wheels are located 'at'unequaldistances fromthe center of the disk 5, one-will revolve at greater speed than the, Yother, consequently the sprocket wheel on the counter shaft rotated bythe friction wheel farthest from the cen-.

ter -is of less diameter, as shown, than the sprocket wheel onthe othercounter shaft.

In the modification, Fig, 4,: the sprocket wheels on the counter shaftsare of the same diameter and the sprocket wheels on the hubs of thetraction wheels are of dilferent diameters, which effects the sameresult, that is, the imparting of equal or uniform mo-. tion to thetraction wheels.

The diameters of all the sprocket wheels may also be different fromthose shown and the same result be secured, as isquite obvious. Torevolve the traction wheels in the opposite direction the shaft 26 isrevolved and the cage supporting. the friction wheels shifted upon therods 18 to a position where the friction wheels will bear upon the diskat the opposite side of the shaft 3 which transmits motion to the disk.It is clear that when the vehicle is beingforwardly propelled the use oftwo friction wheels enables much'more energy to be transmitted to thetraction wheels than when a single friction wheel is employed.

' The main parts of the gearing may be used for other purposes besidesthe propul sion of a vehicle, power being transmitted to other rotaryelements by the rear sprocket wheels or their equivalents and uniformmotion imparted. Again, power may be applied to the rear sprocket wheelsor their. equivalents and through the intermediate friction disk; twoseparate counter shafts disposed in line; two friction wheels mountedside by side upon. the extreme adjacent ends of the separate countershafts; rotary elements; and means connecting the rotary elements withthe counter shafts, said means being so constructed as to impart uniformrotary motion to the said rotary elements.

2.' The combination in a gearing, of two counter shafts disposed in lineend to end,

the counter shafts being such that uniform rotary motion may betransmitted tothe said two rotary elements by-the disk, or

vice versa, when the two friction wheels revolve with differentvelocities. v

The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaftand friction disk; twofriction wheels located side by side; two separate counter shaftsarranged in line endto end, each at its inner end connected with afriction wheel; wheels upon the counter shafts; two traction xj/lieels;sprocket wheels-for rotating said traction-wheels; and sprocket chains;the diameters, .of the wheels upon the ends of the counterjshafts havingsuch relation to the sprocket wheels that uniform motion is transmittedto the traction wheels.

The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk; twofriction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connected witha friction wheel; a wheel upon each counter shaft; two traction wheels;sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the traction-wheels; andsprocket chains connecting the wheels upon the counter shaftswith'the'said sprocket whee1s;the relative diameters of the said wheelsupon the counter shafts and the said sprocket wheels being such thatuniform motion can be transmitted to the traction wheels.

5. The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith a friction wheel; 'a wheel upon each counter shaft a framesupporting the counter shafts and two friction wheels; two tractionwheels; sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the traction wheels;and sprocket chains connecting the wheels upon the counter shaftswiththe said sprocket wheels; the relative diameters of the said wheelsupon the counter-shafts and the said sprocket wheels being such thatuniform motion can bev transmitted to the traction wheels. 4

(3. The combination ina gearing, of a re tail-y shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith a, friction wheel; a wheel upon each counter shaft; a frame supporting the counter shafts and two friction wheels, said frameconsisting of two tubes with hubs and radiating arms united by rods; twotraction wheels; sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the tractionwheels; and sprocket chains connecting the Wheels upon the countershafts with the said sprocket wheels; the relative diameters of the saidwheels upon the countershafts and the said sprocket wheels being suchthat uniform motion can be transmitted to the traction wheels.

7. The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts each.

shaft connected with a friction wheel; a wheel upon each counter shaft;a cage supporting the friction wheels; a frame supporting the countershafts and cage, 'said cage being movable upon the frame; means formoving the cage relative to the frame; two traction wheels; sprocketwheels for transmitting motion to the traction wheels; and sprocketchains connecting the wheels upon the 1 counter shafts with the saidsprocket wheels; the relative diameters'of the said wheels upon thecounter shafts and the said sprocket wheels being such that uniformmotion can be transmitted to the traction wheels. 1

.8. The combination in a. gearing, ofa rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith a friction wheel; a

wheel upon each counter shaft; means supporting the two friction wheelsmovable relative to the friction disk; means for moving the two frictionwheels relative to the face of the friction disk; two traction wheels;sprocket wheels. for transmitting motion to the traction wheels; andsprocket chains connecting the wheels upon the counter shafts with thesaid sprocket wheels; the relative diameters ofthe said wheels upon thecounter shafts and the said sprocket wheels being such that uniformmotion can be transmitted to the traction wheels.

. 9. T he combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith a friction wheel; a wheel upon each counter shaft; two tractionwheels; sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the traction wheels;and sprocket chains connecting the wheels upon the coun ter shafts withthe said sprocket wheels; the relative diameters of the said wheels uponthe counter shafts and the said sprocke wheels being such that uniformmotion can be transmitted to the traction. Wheels; and

said friction wheels being located side by side and bodily movablesimultaneously relative to the friction disk.

10. The combination in a gearing, rotary wheels; two separate countershafts, each shaft connected with a frictionvwheel; a wheel upon eachcounter shaft; two traction wheels; sprocketwheels for transmittingmotion to the traction wheels; and sprocket chains connecting the wheelsupon the counter shafts with the said sprocket wheels; the relativediameters of the said wheels upon the counter shafts and the 'saidsprocket wheels being such that uniform motion can be transmitted to thetraction wheels; and said counter shafts each having a longitudinalgroove and said friction wheels having hubs each with a lug or splinemovable Within a groove in a counter shaft.

11. The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith a friction wheel; a wheel upon each counter shaft; two tractionwheels; sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the traction wheels;and sprocket chains connecting the wheels upon the counter shafts withthe said sprocket wheels; the relative diameters of the said wheels uponthe counter shafts and the said sprocket wheels being such that uniformmotion can be transmitted to the traction wheels; means being providedfor moving the counter ofa shafts and their wheels relative to the saidsprocket wheels fo' adjusting the sprocket chains.

12. The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith afriction wheel; a wheel upon each counter shaft; two tractionwheels; sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the traction wheels;and sprocketchains connecting the wheels upon the counter shafts withthe saidsprocket wheels; the relative diameters of the said wheels uponthe counter shafts and the said sprocket wheels being such that uniformmotion can be transmitted to the traction wheels; and said sprocketwheels being secured to the hubs of the traction wheels.

13. The combination in a gearing, of a rotary shaft and friction disk;two friction wheels; two separate counter shafts, each shaft connectedwith a friction wheel; a whcelu on each counter shaft; two tractionwheels; sprocket Wheels for transmitting motion to the traction wheels;and sprocket .chains connecting the wheels upon the counter shaft-s withthe said sprocket wheels; the wheels upon .the counter shafts being ofdifferent diameters, and the sprocket wheels of the same diameter.

"'iaft and friction disk; two friction 14:. The combination in agearing, of a wheel and thewheel upon the counter shaft rotary shaft andfriction disk; two iriction to which it is connected being different,wheels; two separate counter shafts, each whereby uniform motion may betransmitted shaft connected With a friction wheel; a to the tractionwheels. v

5 wheel upon each counter shaft; two traction In testimonywhereof Iafiix my signature, wheels; sprocket Wheels for transmitting in thepresence of two witnesses. i motion to the traction Wheels; and sprocketGEORGE W. WELLS chains connecting the wheels upon the coun- Witnesses:ter shafts with the said sprocket wheels; ALLISON P. YERXA,

10 the sums of the diameters of each sprocket CHARLES'W. PUTNA'M.

